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Arab News
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Usyk at career heaviest for title fight with Dubois
LONDON: Multiple world champion Oleksandr Usyk will head into his undisputed heavyweight title bout with Daniel Dubois in London on Saturday in arguably the strongest shape of his career. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Friday's weigh-in for the Wembley clash saw reigning WBA, WBO and WBC champion Usyk tip the scales at a career-heaviest weight of 16st 3lbs (102.97 kg), a pound more than the Ukrainian weighed for his second win over Tyson Fury in December. IBF belt-holder Dubois, meanwhile, was more trim than for his victory over British rival Anthony Joshua after he came in 17st 6lbs (110.67 kg) in comparison to 17st 10lbs (112.49 kg) back in September. Dubois was only 16st 9lbs for his 2023 defeat by Usyk, a ninth-round stoppage loss, in Poland. He promised a largely pro-Usyk crowd on Friday he would win by any means necessary before one final stare-down, to a background of music from the film Rocky Balboa. 'I'm locked in, I'm focused and I can't wait,' Dubois said. 'I am going to win by any means necessary.' Usyk said: 'For me it is a great opportunity for my people and for my country.' Yet to lose in 23 professional fights, Usyk is hoping to become an undisputed champion for the third time. Dubois has won his three fights since losing to Usyk, including a victory over Joshua and at 27 is 11 years younger than the 38-year-old Ukrainian. But, on Thursday, Usyk dismissed suggestions his age would count against him at Wembley this weekend. 'Listen, I respect this guy (Dubois), this young guy. This guy is motivated but I am too. I am not an old guy. 38 is not old, you know? We will see on Saturday.' Lennox Lewis was the last Briton to hold undisputed status in the heavyweight division in 1999.
The Independent
20 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois betting tips: Best bet and latest odds for fight night
It's going to take something pretty special from Daniel Dubois on Saturday if he is to end Oleksandr Usyk's unbeaten record, which stretches back to 2013. In that time, he has had 23 fights, 23 wins with 14 knockouts, including stoppage wins against Tony Bellew and Dubois first time around. The pair met back in August 2023, when Usyk secured the knockout in the ninth round in somewhat controversial fashion. Dubois was judged to have landed a low blow in the fifth round, which floored Usyk, and the Ukrainian was given a maximum of five minutes to recover. He recovered and went on to force the stoppage. However, after the fight, many voices - including Dubois - questioned the validity of the low-blow decision, and the Brit felt he was robbed of the win. That was only the second loss of his career, the other one coming against Joe Joyce in 2020, and now he is eying revenge after three wins in a row, including the stoppage win against Anthony Joshua last September. Usyk to reign supreme Despite the controversy and Dubois' version of events, Usyk dominated every round last time out and has since beaten Tyson Fury twice to further cement his place as the best heavyweight on the planet. He might be 38, but he is showing no signs of slowing down, and betting boxing sites are all backing the Ukrainian at odds of 1/3, while you can get 3/1 on Dubois and 22/1 on a draw. While we have no doubt Usyk can go the distance, there are doubts surrounding his British opponent. Dubois has only gone the distance once, largely due to his explosive power with 21 wins inside the distance, 19 of which have finished inside five rounds. That said, we can't see that happening this time around against the quality and movement of Usyk, so we're backing Usyk to take control and finish the job in the second half of the fight. Usyk vs Dubois betting tip: Usyk to win in Rounds 7-12 - 11/4 with William Hill Please gamble responsibly If you're having a bet on the boxing this weekend, it's vital to practice responsible gambling. Betting sites can be addictive and it's important to stay in control of your gambling. The same can be said if you're dabbling with casino sites, slot sites, bingo sites, or any other gambling platform. Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop. It can be tempting to take up free bet offers or casino bonuses, but we always advise punters to use responsible gambling resources to avoid addiction. Gambling sites offer customers tools like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers and self-exclusion options, to help them stay in control. Make best use of these to protect yourself from problem gambling. If you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don't hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.
Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Times
Oleksandr Usyk v Daniel Dubois 2: Start time, preview, TV details
For one man, a hall-of-fame career could be coming to an end. For the other, a victory could usher in the start of a new era of heavyweight dominance. The brilliant champion Oleksandr Usyk, at 38, has nothing left to prove, but feels like he has at least one more defence left. Daniel Dubois, 11 years his junior, has not had a smooth path to this point but is in the best form of his career. After waiting 25 years for an undisputed heavyweight title fight, two come along in the space of 14 months. Saturday night's main event at Wembley between Ukraine's Usyk and Britain's Dubois will, however, be the first time that such a fight has been held in this country. These two fighters have history, Usyk beating the far less experienced Dubois inside nine rounds in 2023. However, a contentious low blow landed earlier in the bout by Dubois left Usyk on the canvas, and the Greenwich man feeling robbed of a knockout victory after the fight. Will Usyk have his hand raised once again on Saturday, or will Dubois get his revenge? The previous time these men fought was in Wroclaw, Poland (the closest Usyk could get to a homecoming with his native Ukraine at war against Russia) in August 2023. The fight took place after Usyk had comprehensively beaten Anthony Joshua twice to win — and then retain — three of the four heavyweight belts, but before he fully unified the division against Tyson Fury. Although the Ukrainian emerged victorious, stopping Dubois in round nine, the fight was marred by a low blow called against the British fighter. In round five Dubois hit Usyk with a right hand, just on the belt line. Usyk went down and the referee deemed that the shot was low. Usyk took the time allowed to recover and went on to reassert himself in the fight. Dubois complained after the bout that the shot was legal and that he had been 'cheated out of victory'. Since making the move to heavyweight in 2019 Usyk has proved beyond doubt that he is the best of this generation. Back-to-back wins in fights over a previously unbeaten Fury — one of them for undisputed glory — after another two over Joshua have placed Usyk among elite company when talking about the greatest men in boxing's glamour division. With one victory over Dubois already in the books, a second triumph against the man who has earned the reputation as one of the best fighters of the next generation would be the cherry on top of Usyk's legacy. At only 27 years old, and with the improvement he has shown since losing to Usyk in 2023, the best years of Dubois' heavyweight career are most likely still ahead of him. He has always had the power, but his will has been questioned on more than one occasion; he took a knee in his first career loss to Joe Joyce in 2020 and did not get back to his feet after being knocked down by an Usyk jab in their first fight. However, after wins over Jarrell Miller and then Filip Hrgovic, he set up an all-British clash with Joshua last September for Dubois' IBF world title (vacated by Usyk after the first Fury fight). Some thought that the veteran Joshua may prove too much, but Dubois put in a career-best performance, knocking down Joshua multiple times before stopping him in round five. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. Dubois is undoubtedly a better all-round boxer than the first time he fought Usyk, but it is no secret that power will be his main advantage. You only have to look back at the Joshua fight to see the effect of a Dubois overhand right. He should throw as many thudding rights to the body as he can to try to slow Usyk down. He may also have the best jab among the modern crop of heavyweights. He used it to great effect against Joshua, establishing himself on the front foot moments into the fight, constantly disrupting his rhythm. He'll have to do the same to the tricky Usyk. The former cruiserweight has not been the more physically imposing man in any of his heavyweight bouts, but nor has that ever been his way to win a fight. Usyk's brilliance lies in his movement and cardio. He constantly moves in and out of range, throwing punches and feints, so that his opponents never have a moment to breathe. Usyk overwhelms you with volume punches and then, living up to his nickname, 'The Cat', he pounces. In the clip below, from Usyk's first fight against Joshua, you see the roaming right hand of the Ukrainian, constantly probing, and also blocking the view of the Briton so that he does not see the left hand coming. His brilliant footwork keeps him close enough to be a threat, but also far enough away from danger. This keeps Joshua on high alert, and saps energy as he tries to work Usyk out. No one has managed to yet. Tony Bellew, who fought Usyk for undisputed cruiserweight gold in 2018, spoke of how he felt that he got the better of the Ukrainian in the opening exchanges. But he then realised that he had been fighting at top gear — while Usyk had been coasting — and had nothing left in the tank. Usyk knocked Bellew out in round eight. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. 'It is the judgment of distance that Usyk has,' Bellew later said. 'This is what got me. I was absolutely exhausted after seven rounds. I have never been that tired in my entire life.' This 12-round fight for the undisputed heavyweight title will take place on Saturday, July 19 at Wembley Stadium. The undercard is set to begin at 5:30pm, while the ringwalks for the main event are scheduled for 9:50pm, just before the first bell at 10pm. The fight will stream live exclusively on DAZN in over 200 countries worldwide, priced at £24.99 in the UK.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois 2: Let's break down the pair's 10 best combined wins
Wembley Stadium in North London plays host to its first undisputed heavyweight title fight Saturday night, as heavyweight belt-holders Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois rematch in front of an expected crowd of 90,000. The pair first met in 2023 in Wroclaw, Poland, where a controversial low blow in the fifth round marred the knockout win that Usyk subsequently secured, sowing the seeds for this rematch. Usyk and Dubois have notched a combined 45 wins throughout their professional careers, but what were the truest standout performances? Let's take a look at the top 10: 1. Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 1, May 18, 2024: Split decision Usyk proved to the world just how great he was in defeating a brave Fury in their first meeting. Usyk had to navigate the Briton's unpredictable attacks, bizarre showboating and a dominant purple patch through Rounds 5-7 before Usyk began to turn the tide. Usyk can consider himself unfortunate not to have recorded a stoppage over Fury in Riyadh in the ninth round of this bout, as the lumbering Fury staggered around the ring with glazed eyes following a vicious assault from the Ukrainian. But despite taking 14 unanswered punches, Fury's powers of recovery saw him given the benefit of the doubt by referee Mark Nelson. Usyk won a split decision on the cards, handing Tyson Fury the first defeat of his professional career. 2. Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2, Dec. 21, 2024: Unanimous decision There was little clowning around from Fury in the rematch. The Briton came out aggressively and concentrated, but Usyk was once again able to manage 12 rounds of combat perfectly in order to gain the victory. There was less drama than the first meeting, and despite some adjustments from Fury, Usyk was able to find the bigger more conclusive moments in the fight — and there is a solid argument to suggest Usyk won every round in the second half of the fight, except the 12th. 3. Daniel Dubois vs. Anthony Joshua, Sept. 21, 2024: 5th-round KO Dubois pummeled Joshua inside five rounds in one of the most brutal heavyweight bouts of the year. 'DDD' arrived inside Wembley Stadium as the rank underdog to the former unified heavyweight world champion, but peppered 'AJ' with a merciless jab, breaking down the former Olympic gold medalist and dropping him four times before he was counted out. This win capped a fantastic run of three victories for Dubois, earning the IBF world heavyweight title outright and catapulting him into the conversation at the top of the division. Dubois' maturity and control underlined his growth as a boxer over the previous couple of years, and he was clinical in closing the show against the darling of British boxing. 4. Oleksandr Usyk vs. Murat Gassiev, July 21, 2018: Unanimous decision A Ukrainian fighting in Russia was a strong narrative in 2018, even if it pre-dated Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Usyk's homeland four years later. Rounding out a successful World Boxing Super Series at cruiserweight, Usyk bullied, picked off and routed Gassiev to unify the division and rubber-stamp his dominance of a talented division. What was considered a competitive final pre-fight turned into one of the best performances of Usyk's career. 5. Oleksandr Usyk vs. Mairis Briedis, Jan. 27, 2018: Majority decision Usyk shouldn't be docked points for the manner in which he edged this majority decision. Both men underlined why they were at the very top of the cruiserweight division that night in Riga, Latvia, and despite the fight not really catching fire in a traditional sense, it was one for the purists to purr over. This was the toughest fight of Usyk's career at the time, which leaves its ranking floating in the middle — and one he'd go on to learn a hell of a lot from. Briedis would go on to win his next five — including winning the second staging of the cruiserweight World Boxing Super Series — before running into back-to-back, yet competitive, losses to Jai Opetaia. 6. Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua 1, Sept. 25, 2021: Unanimous decision Joshua was the betting favorite, but as the rounds slowly ticked by inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it soon became apparent Usyk's style as a heavyweight was all wrong for the Londoner. Usyk's front-footed pressure and intelligent feints forced Joshua into a passive role across 12 rounds, and the champion was able to hurt the home fighter on a number of occasions. Usyk cruised to a unanimous decision — with official cards tighter than expected after gauging ringside reaction — and in the process became a two-weight world champion. He also joined Evander Holyfield and David Haye in becoming the only champions at cruiserweight and heavyweight. 7. Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua 2, Aug. 20, 2022: Split decision Joshua came closer in the rematch, but Usyk still didn't look close to relinquishing his crown to the Briton. Joshua showed real improvement in his willingness to impart some of his natural power and explosiveness on Usyk, but the champion was once again far too quick and savvy to be lured into a brawl. Glenn Feldman controversially scored the bout 115-113 to Joshua, but this was forgotten in the aftermath following Joshua's in-ring passionate speech. 8. Daniel Dubois vs. Filip Hrgović, June 1, 2024: 8th-round KO Dubois showed his heart to come from behind against Hrgović, eventually stopping the Croatian heavyweight in an entertaining Saudi scrap. Hrgovic was considered one of the boogeymen of the heavyweight division before this 2024 bout, but Dubois' heavy hands proved the antidote to this notion, earning Dubois the interim IBF heavyweight title. Dubois got hit — and hit hard — by Hrgovic but showed a resilience that had previously been placed under the microscope after losses to Usyk and Joe Joyce. His work rate also improved, and that evening the blueprint was made for an eventual win over Joshua for the full title. 9. Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tony Bellew, Nov. 10, 2018: 8th-round TKO In what was to be Usyk's final act as a cruiserweight, the Ukrainian pummeled into retirement the brash Bellew in a controlled onslaught. Usyk was in cruise control for a majority of the eight rounds inside the Manchester Arena, and despite Bellew enjoying pockets of success — and favorable scores from the judges — the result looked fairly academic once Usyk decided to go through the gears. This victory crowned Usyk's cruiserweight reign of terror, running through seven straight opponents in world-title contests in six different countries. 10. Oleksandr Usyk vs. Krzysztof Głowacki, Sept. 17, 2016: Unanimous decision The Marco Huck or Głowacki bout was always going to make up the 10th spot. I mean, few have ever authored a top-nine piece, have they? But despite going the distance, Glowacki had more in the tank in 2016 than Huck did in 2017, with the Pole coming into this WBO cruiserweight title fight unbeaten in 24 outings. Usyk dominated a one-sided fight on away soil in Poland, kickstarting his previously mentioned reign of terror at the 200-pound limit.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Tyson Fury's lets feelings known on MBE snub as he misses out on honours list again
Tyson Fury has been one of Britain's biggest and most successful athletes of his generation, but his contributions to boxing have never been recognised in the Honours list Tyson Fury has admitted that he would not care if he is never recognised in King Charles III's birthday or New Year honours list. Fury, 36, has been one of Great Britain's most successful and talked about athletes of the last 20 years. Whether it was his victory over Wladimir Klitschko, his return to boxing after suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts, his ferocious trilogy against Deontay Wilder or his battles with Oleksandr Usyk, Fury's career has been unforgettable. Nevertheless, Fury has never been recognised with an MBE, even though the likes of Carl Froch and Anthony Joshua have received the award - the latter of which seeing his MBE be upgraded to an OBE in 2018 - within the same time period. Fury was also not included in the King's birthday honours list last month. However, Fury insists he would not be interested in an MBE or a knighthood, but would appreciate a new title being made in his honour. The Gypsy King, speaking at a Q&A ceremony at the IBA Pro 7 Press Conference and Fight Night in Istanbul, told reporters: "I've talked about this a few times before. The only honour I would accept is 'Emperor of the North.' "Unless they can create that for me, I am not interested in any other honours. Emperor of the North. That's it. Not King of the North, there is only one King.' A large number of boxers have been awarded an MBE, including Joe Joyce, Ricky Hatton, Frank Bruno, Johnny Spencer and many more. Despite holding the WBC World Heavyweight Championship for four years, Fury has never appeared on an honours list. In 2022, former Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney suggested Fury's achievements should make him eligible for a knighthood, let alone an MBE. Rooney told talkSPORT:"I think he's an absolute legend for what he's done for boxing. "He's entertaining, his skills are incredible, his mentality is incredible. If I'm being honest, I probably think he should be knighted because he hasn't been afraid to go abroad, he's won titles abroad, defended them abroad and he epitomises everything that boxing is.' There may still be time for Fury to punch his way into the honours list in the future. While he was at the IBA's event in Istanbul, Saudi Arabian general minister for entertainment Turki Alalshikh said Fury will be coming out of retirement again. He tweeted: "The 'Gypsy King' will be back!!! I talked with him, and I have his word to have him in Riyadh Season in have a rabbit to hunt!" His message suggests there will be a third fight against Usyk - who is often referred to as 'the Rabbit' - but the timeframes are currently unclear. The latter will be fighting Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on Saturday July 19 for the undisputed heavyweight championship. Many British fans are hoping Fury will step into the ring to fight Joshua, but the Gypsy King insists he wants to get his revenge against Usyk. Fury said: "Who would I rather fight right now? Usyk, because I want my revenge in England. "That's all I want. I want a fair shout and I don't believe I've got a fair shout the last two times. If I don't get that, then it would be Joshua, the biggest British fight that will ever happen. "It would break records, and it would sell out 100,000 at Wembley in an hour. It's a fight that I think can happen for sure if I decide to come back and if the deal's right."
